POLSC301: American Political Thought

Unit 3: Building a New GovernmentAs the new nation was forming, questions of governmental supremacy had
not yet been fully answered. As you will read, the first president
under the Constitution, George Washington, left the country with
important parting words in his farewell address on the issue of internal
factions. He warned that splits within the government would not be good
for the country as a whole. However, before, during, and after
Washington’s presidency, leaders continued to be concerned with the
distribution of power between the national government and its states.
Some argued that the states should retain significant power in order to
control the power of the national government. Others argued that the
national government required strength in order to remain a formidable
power at home and abroad. As with the ratification debate, the nation
was split in its approach and against Washington’s advice, these
differences of opinion led to the creation of the first political
parties in America. In this unit, you will study how the balance of
power began to evolve and how the issue of state verses federal
supremacy divided the nation.

Unit 3 Time Advisory
This unit should take you approximately 7.5 hours to complete.

☐ Subunit 3.1: 1.5 hours

☐ Subunit 3.1.1: .5 hours

☐ Subunit 3.1.2: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 3.2: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 3.3: 2 hours

☐ Subunit 3.4: 3 hours

☐ Subunit 3.4.1: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 3.4.2: 1 hour

☐ Subunit 3.4.3: 1 hour

Unit3 Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

Analyze the governing and political philosophy of
George Washington.

Compare and contrast the political ideologies of
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.

Describe how the Marshall Court laid the foundation
for American constitutional law.

3.1 The Early Republic: The Presidency of George Washington3.1.1 Washington’s Precedents for the Presidency
- Reading: University of Virginia: The Miller Center’s “American
President—An Online Reference Resource: George Washington”
Link: University of Virginia: The Miller Center’s “American
President—An Online Reference Resource: George
Washington”
(HTML)

Instructions: Please go to above webpage and read the sections
entitled “Impact and Legacy” and “Creating the Presidency.”

Terms of use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpage above.

Note on the Reading: Besides setting various precedents during his
presidency, Washington’s tenure in office was underscored by the
advice he gave to the country on foreign and domestic (political)
affairs in his farewell address. Subsequent presidents tried to
heed Washington’s advice; however, because of the political climate
in the country and around the world, many were not successful.

Terms of use: The material above is available for viewing in the
Public Domain.

Instructions: Read the text of both of Jefferson’s speeches. Note
that these readings will cover the material you need to know for
subunits 3.2.1–3.2.2.

Note on the Texts: Both of these texts should provide you with a
great deal of insight into Jefferson’s opinions on a strong central
government and the need to protect states’ and individual rights.

Terms of use: The material above is available for viewing in the
Public Domain.

3.2.1 Importance of States’ RightsNote: This subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit
3.2. Focus specifically on the last three paragraphs of Jefferson’s
opinion on the National Bank, where he asserts the importance of state
sovereignty.

3.2.2 Protection of Individual FreedomsNote: This subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit
3.2. As you read Jefferson’s inaugural address, think about in what way
the speech reflects his political ideology.

Instructions: Read the text of Alexander Hamilton defense for the
creation of the First National Bank. Note that these readings will
cover the material you need to know for subunits 3.3.1–3.3.2.

Note on the Reading: The creation of the Bank of the United States
was a major point of contention between many leaders within the
early republic. Hamilton and his supporters of the bank believed it
was necessary to create a centralized national bank to pay off debts
and ensure national economic stability. On the other hand, many
others (including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison) believed that
the creation of a strong centralized bank infringed upon state
sovereignty. Eventually, Washington sided with Hamilton and the
bank was created. However, the debate between Jefferson and
Hamilton would prove to be divisive and would foster the creation of
the first political parties, the Federalists and the
Democrat-Republicans.

Terms of use: The material above is available for viewing in the
Public Domain.

Instructions: Watch the first five video clips from the
documentary, after reading the film
synopsis.
All provide valuable insight into Hamilton’s life, career, and
political beliefs. He was, according to the filmmakers, “arguably
the most significant person in American history who never served as
president.” Note that this video will cover the material you need
to know for subunit 3.3.1.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpage above.

3.3.1 A Strong Central GovernmentNote: This subunit is covered by the reading and video assigned beneath
subunit 3.3. For each, consider Hamilton’s central rationale for the
need for a strong central government.

3.3.2 Need for Implied Powers and Judicial ReviewNote: This subunit is covered by the reading assigned beneath subunit
3.3. Focus on the first section of Hamilton’s bank opinion where he
articulates his views on implied powers.

3.4 The Marshall Court3.4.1 John Marshall
- Reading: Sage American History: Henry J. Sage’s “John Marshall:
The ‘Man Who Made the Court Supreme’”
Link: Sage American History: Henry J. Sage’s “John Marshall: The
‘Man Who Made the Court
Supreme’”
(HTML)

Instructions: Please read the above article about U.S. Chief
Justice John Marshall, whose court opinions helped lay the basis for
American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a coequal
branch of government along with the legislative and executive
branches.

Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use
displayed on the webpage above.

Instructions: Begin by reading the “Document Info” about this
landmark Supreme Court Case. Then, under the “current document”
drop-down menu, click on “document transcript” and read the actual
text of John Marshall’s decision.

Terms of Use: This resource is available in the public domain.

3.4.3 McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and Federal Power
- Reading: The Our Documents Initiative’s version of John Marshall’s
“Opinion of the Court, McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)”
Link:The Our Documents Initiative’s version of John Marshall’s
“Opinion of the Court, McCulloch v. Maryland
(1819)”
(PDF)

Instructions: Begin by reading the “Document Info” about this
landmark Supreme Court Case. Then, under the “current document”
drop-down menu, click on “document transcript” and read the actual
text of John Marshall’s decision.